Effect of ethnicity on adherence to diabetic regimen.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluating the effectiveness of treatment of diabetic patients in our institution led us to seek the relationship between adherence to diabetic regimens and several demographic variables. Of primary importance was ethnicity, which the practitioners believed affected adherence. Other variables researched were: marital status, gender, weight, age, type and duration of diabetes, socioeconomic status, occupation and education.


METHODS
Adult diabetic patients (215) seen in the diabetic clinic of a large health maintenance organization who had their diabetes for at least 6 months.


METHODS
Data were collected from interviews and medical records over a two-year period.


RESULTS
Ethnicity, the major test variable, did not show a relationship to adherence. Two variables, gender and weight, showed a trend to significant relationship to adherence. Chi square and t tests were used, depending on the type of data.


CONCLUSIONS
Since there is no difference in adherence between ethnic groups, standardized care protocols are warranted, since they are cost-efficient.
Hellman
S
S
Health Services Administration, Saint Mary's College of California, USA.
Baker
L
L
Flores
D
D
Lehman
H
H
Bacon
J
J
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003625:Data Collection; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology